Masha Raskolnikov

And that's the News From Omelas.

This is such a big and important story. And it needs much more coverage.

Idaho Will Enforce Abortion Travel Ban 12.2.24

jessica.substack.com/p/idaho-will...
An appeals court has ruled that Idaho can enforce most of its anti-abortion travel ban, making it the first state in the nation to do so.

Agree AND this is the kind of thing that my imagined/proposed billion-dollar left/dem civic infrastructure/community organizing program would communicate to all the folks not reading op-eds.

So so so much now was used then. Bathrooms. Conversion therapy/detransitioners. Groomer accusations.

It is easier to be gay, queer, bi, pan, lesbian in the US now than it was 30 years ago.

I would know—that’s how long I’ve been out.

But it got better because we fought for it. And we fight now.

They want you taking extreme positions. The path to Palestinian freedom and peace for everyone requires seeing everyone’s humanity. That’s the way out. That’s the only way through.

I have a lot more to say about all of this that I don’t feel like typing out here but suffice to say Bibi Netanyahu and Hamas have quite the symbiotic relationship. Look up how both parties tanked the path to Pal self-determination in ‘95-96. How Bibi has enabled Hamas to get $ from Qatar now.

It is possible to have a nuanced political analysis, to decry terrorism and war crimes, to understand power imbalances and abuses, both current and historic, and to still not root for human rights, safety, and lives like sports teams.

Everyone should be safe. No children should be killed. None.

Am happy to not be there

Also, is this a good way to be using this app? I have posted the same query on Facebook, but thought there might be some differences between there and here...

...and I wonder about including books where transness is a "twist" (don't love that move, but some of those books are great).
Thoughts?

ASKING FOR INPUT: useful works of criticism and theory relevant to scifi/fantasy AND books that you think I should definitely include? SO MUCH GOOD STUFF OUT THERE!

I wanna teach "Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl" and I know that I could go chronological ("Left Hand of Darkness"; "The Fortunate Fall") or NOT (am inclined towards NOT chronological and possibly only texts authored by folks who id as trans and genderqueer.

Hivemind! I am designing a course on Trans and Genderqueer SciFi/Fantasy to be taught in 2025-2026. FUN (and sort of a gesture of resistance, which I'm also into). WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD TEACH?!

Here now. Wondering about the here and the now quite a bit.